A television set is mounted on a motor vehicle for receiving television broadcasts, replaying a video tape, or displaying a road map and traffic information. Due to the limited space in the vehicle, the television set is provided with a thin LCD (liquid crystal display) rather than a bulky CRT display. The television set is mounted on an exclusive support member in a dashboard of the vehicle, or on support arms projecting from the dashboard toward a shift lever. However, the television set thus disposed is liable to be heated by exposure to the sun, thereby deforming the LCD, and/or deteriorating the display functions of the television set.
In order to protect the television set from heat, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open 2-31577 discloses an LCD television set mounted in a dashboard of the vehicle as shown in FIGS. 14 to 16. A television set 1 is pivotally mounted on a carrier 3 through a support member (not shown) provided at a lower end of the television set 1, and the carrier 3 is slidably mounted in a casing 2 provided in a dashboard D.
The television set 1 and the carrier 3 are disposed horizontally in the casing 2. The television set 1 is manually pulled out of the casing 2 as shown in FIG. 15, and rotated a desired angle about a pivot of the support member, so that the LCD of the television set 1 is angularly disposed in a posture suitable for watching. In order to store the television set 1 in the casing 2, the set is manually rendered flat and pushed back into the casing 2. If an electrically operated driving mechanism is provided in the carrier 3, the television set 1 is automatically drawn out and returned into the casing 2 upon the operation of the buttons. Since the television set 1 is thus housed in the casing 2 in the dashboard D when not in use, the LCD is protected from heat.
In such a device, the television set must be set in a proper angular posture at every use. This is troublesome for the driver of the motor vehicle, particularly when setting the television set while driving of the vehicle.
If the television set is left ejected during the parking of the vehicle, and the television set is exposed to the sun, the LCD can be deteriorated
Furthermore, the television set supported only by the carrier is liable to vibrate during the driving of the vehicle, which may render the television image difficult to watch. In addition, when a push button on the television set is depressed, the set is pushed back, which decreases the operability of the set.
There can occur further trouble when the television set is ejected, because it contacts with a shift lever of the vehicle, according to the kind of vehicle used.